


The Song That Kills

by ShyCourage



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Character Death, M/M, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 12:50:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20546438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyCourage/pseuds/ShyCourage
Summary: "He knew, even as he stood taller, even as his song cut through the air like the pointed weapon he made it be, that he wouldn't survive this. He supposed that wasn't fair to Forrest. He supposed life, and death, weren't fair to anyone."





	The Song That Kills

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very sad fic that i wrote for my friend silver because she got me some fire emblem merch. Ty silv ily! Anyway, this is angst with a sad ending, as requested, and let me tell you it is sad. Very, very sad. That's your warning, folks

He knew, even as he stood taller, even as his song cut through the air like the pointed weapon he made it be, that he wouldn't survive this. He supposed that wasn't fair to Forrest. He supposed life, and death, weren't fair to anyone.

He sang a song that always and never belonged to him. It was never anyone's but the person who created it. It had always been his, because the song was sung by every cell in his body, by everyone in his bloodline. He sang this song, a song that meant more than everything, a song that meant less than nothing. He sang this song, and it hurt him as it left him, like spitting out knives or swords.

It was so much worse than spitting out knives and swords. If he had to compare it to a feeling, it was more like pulling out a serrated arrow that got caught on his skin. It hurt, but it wasn't so simple as slicing through him as it left. It grabbed at him and tore at his very being, ripping him to shreds. Like an arrow being pulled out, though, he had to get this song out. He had to finish singing, or else it would kill him even more painfully.

The dragon, fighting in front of him, seemed both all too close and so very far away. It felt like looking at stars in the night sky, like you could touch them if you just streched your hand out a little bit more but you know they're out of reach. It was for the best that the dragon was so far away, with an army in and a half inbetween the dragon and himself. If they were closer the dragon would try to kill him, try to be rid of the force causing it pain. As it was, the dragon was trying to attack him, but his army - his friends, his sibling, his boyfriend - all were working to hold the dragon back.

He sang his song, and it took pieces from him. Lucky for him, it also took pieces of the dragon. With each piece of him that was taken, a piece of the dragon was bound to it and sent to the void. As he sang his voice grew quieter, weaker, so he stepped forward so it would still reach the dragon.

"Shigure," Forrest asked, sounding panicked, "what are you doing? You're supposed to stay behind the front line! Shigure you'll just get hurt!"

He kept singing. As he walked forward, his song seemed to affect the dragon more and more. It thrashed against intangible weapons, screamed because of bonds that could only be heard, not seen. 

He took another step forward.

Forrest followed him, his expression getting more and more terrified as he went. "You're going to get hurt! Shigure, please go back!" 

He couldn't do anything more than shake his head and keep singing, his voice echoing against the dragon.

He reached out and ran his hand down the side of the dragon's muzzle. When had he gotten this close? He realized that the fighting had stopped around him, that there were no longer any shouts of the battle. A quick glance out his peripheral showed that everyone was entranced by his song. 

He kept singing, motioning for Kana to come forward. The dragon didn't fight him anymore, it was calm, tame. Kana came to stand beside him. "What is it, Shigure?"

He took hold of Yato, his voice still not faltering, and guided Kana's hand to point the sword at the dragon's heart. Kana blanched, not expecting this.

He nodded to Kana, his song coming to a close. Kana seemed hesitant, but they grit their teeth and pushed the sword deep into the dragon, piercing its heart. The dragon screamed, and Kana screamed with it, but he kept singing. He kept singing, his song on its last line.

Forrest ran to his boyfriend's side, his face scared, as though he realized what was happening. "Shigure… Shigure, it's over. Stop your song." 

He shook his head, the last note finally pouring forth from his mouth and ringing in the room. As soon as the last note faded he felt his eyes roll back, and he collapsed. He collapsed into Forrest's arms, shaking with the intensity of the pain he felt, and groaned. Who was he again? He was nothing but pain, soon to be nothing at all. Names don't matter. They never had.

Forrest screamed, but not a scream of mortal pain. It was a shout of anguish. "Shigure! Shigure, no, you can't-" he hiccuped. When had Forrest started crying? "You can't. Remember? You promised me that after this was all over we would go back! We would have a pegasus and horse stable, and… and… Shigure, please don't leave me!"

He felt something wet rolling down his cheeks. So they were both crying. He reached up with one trembling hand and set it on Forrest's face, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. He tried to speak, to assure Forrest that he could do that on his own, or with anyone who he found. It didn't need him. He tried to say so, but all that came out of his mouth was a cough. He had used all of his voice to sing the dragon to its eternal sleep.

Forrest grabbed his hand, ignoring everyone who was near them. They could treat the wounded and pick up their weapons on their own. 

Forrest pressed a kiss to his palm, but he couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything but a pain that was lodged deep in his chest, waves of it thrumming through his body with every beat of his heart. He shook more at a particularly strong wave, unable to do anything but gasp.

Forrest still cried, even as his pain lessened in some areas. Why…? Oh, it's because he's fading. He's fading, which explains the way that his vision was getting dark, why he felt less pain and more tingly. His chest fluttered, trying to hold a breath for more than a millisecond and failing. He couldn't even feel that much.

He finally let his eyes close. The last thing he heard was Forrest, screaming again, cursing a god who would never listen. What was that saying…

Brilliant minds burn bright and burn fast, like the brightest of stars in the night sky. That was the one. Nice to know that he counted as a brilliant mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! As always, kudos, comments, and constructive criticism are welcome and appreciated!


End file.
